What cable might this be?

[JamesBlonde]

I've demolished a wall in my new house. There was a known single socket power outlet on the wall (2 x white cables - I'm guessing twin & earth).

However there was also a pair of unknown thinner cables buried inside the wall. They stopped half way up the wall and go into the ceiling (as do the power cables to the socket) however go off in a different direction.

I originally thought they might have been telephone cables, however I'm not so sure any more. The sheath is grey on both cables, and on stripping back I've found the same colour combination inside each cable - orange, green, blue and brown (and a couple of bits of thread).

Any suggestions on what these might be?? I don't think its 3 core and earth as all 4 inner cables are sheathed.


Second question how can I extend the power socket, which is currently hanging in the middle of the sitting room...! Junction box in the ceiling and extra cable? Otherwise when I pull the cable over to the nearest wall (and plaster it in) it'll be about chest height up the wall!

 

[ColJack]

don't JB cables if you can help it, replace the entire length from the last socket..

the smaller cables will be alarm cables by the sounds of it.. ( I take it they are not in pairs? )

 

[securespark]

What you have found seems exactly like older telecoms cable The youngest it can be is 27 years old. Can you post a piccy?

 

[ericmark]

There are many ways to join cables from maintenance free junction boxes to soldered joints with shrink sleeve or even crimped with shrink sleeve or self amalgamating tape.

With 4 wires more likely telephone outer two of 6 connections are not used so 4 wires will do. Alarm would normally have 6 wires. Two power, Two Alarm and Two tamper. Alarm cables are often stranded but telephone normally solid but about same size.

 

[JamesBlonde]

Greater than 27 years old could be about right - they may well be ages with the house, which is early 60's. It is a pair of grey cables, although they're not joined. The inner wires are about the same size as a phone wire. I'll try to post a pic tomorrow if its still worthwhile.

With regards to the socket cable, I can't follow it back easily - it goes into the ceiling, and is drilled through one of the first floor joists and out of sight. There is no slack in the cable either - nothing to pull through, so my only options are to extend it or cut it off - Its about 2 feet from the nearest wall which I could attach it to (and change to a double socket). I was hoping to plaster this week to allow me to install my wood floor....

 

[SUNRAY]

However there was also a pair of unknown thinner cables buried inside the wall. They stopped half way up the wall and go into the ceiling (as do the power cables to the socket) however go off in a different direction.

I originally thought they might have been telephone cables, however I'm not so sure any more.

You certainly describe telephone cable well, that type was in use till around 1990 although it had been superseded.

 

[SUNRAY]

However there was also a pair of unknown thinner cables buried inside the wall. They stopped half way up the wall and go into the ceiling (as do the power cables to the socket) however go off in a different direction.

I originally thought they might have been telephone cables, however I'm not so sure any more.

You certainly describe telephone cable well, that type was in use till around 1990 although it had been superseded.

 

[JamesBlonde]

Hurrah! In that case I can safely rip them out! I'll probably just roll them up and chuck them in the void above but at least I can do it safely!

If I do junction box the cables, I take it I need to leave the junction box visible / accessible?

 

[SUNRAY]

Hurrah! In that case I can safely rip them out! I'll probably just roll them up and chuck them in the void above but at least I can do it safely!

If I do junction box the cables, I take it I need to leave the junction box visible / accessible?

Its possible the 'telephone' wire has been used for something else, in my house I have exactly the same stuff for the door bell system, 3 doors & 3 sounders. And I have seen loads of early alarm systems wired in it too.

Any junction box which uses screw terminals must be fixed and accessible.
If the terminations are 'non maintenance' ie crimped or soldered then the JB does not need to be accessible.
However its always best to replace a cable rather than extend.

 

[Paul_C]

Blue, orange, green, brown (in that order) are the first four colors in the long-used standard telecoms sequence and that was the standard 4-conductor internal wire for domestic telephone wiring through to the early 1980s when the current cable (blue/white & orange/white pairs) took over.

The line was normally on blue & orange, with the green & brown used for bell shunt, party-line earth, series ringers, etc. as needed for the particular installation.

 

[AndyPRK]

Yes. Old style telephone cable